Travel alert ‘shameful’: Ershad

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad today said it is “shameful” for Bangladesh to be on the alert list of foreign countries after the foreigners’ killings.

His comments came in wake of the existing alerts issued by United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Japan and Korea for their nationals in Bangladesh.

Blasting the government for “deteriorating” law and order, Ershad also alleged that the rule of law and good governance is absent in the country.

The former military ruler, currently also Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s special envoy, was speaking at a meeting of Jatiya Party’s Rangpur division’s programme at his Banani office in Dhaka.

He also underlined that it is embarrassing for Bangladesh that “foreign nationals are leaving the country in face of security threats.” “We have to get rid of this situation.”

Foreign countries started issuing alerts after Italian Cesare Tavella and Japanese Kunio Hoshi were murdered in Dhaka and Rangpur.

The country’s goodwill has been tarnished before the world as foreigners have started to leave the country. They are cancelling their hotel bookings, he added.

“What kind of a country is this? What sort of democracy is this?” Ershad questioned.

“Killing and abduction are now happening frequently as there is no rule of law in the country and even foreigners are not being spared,” he added.

About the medical admission test question paper leakage, he said such irregularities like question paper leakage and corruption cannot be stopped due to government’s interference in all sectors.

The countrymen want change, they want peace and they are waiting for Awami League to go out of power, he added.